by Glory Lennon

Created on: August 12, 2008   Last Updated: May 21, 2009

According to the National Arbor Day Foundation, the planting of a shade tree in your yard can dramatically reduce the cost of cooling your home in the hot days of summer and when planted as a windbreak can conserve energy to heat the home. We're talking a 15-35 % reduction in heating and cooling costs every single year. That's a big chunk of money saved, in your pocket or better used on just about anything you want. Hardly a thing to sneeze at.

Let us assume the only thing stopping you from grabbing a shovel to ready your yard for the planting of a beautiful shade tree, is you don't know which tree to plant. Thus we shall go over some of the fastest growing shade trees. After all, we do want to save as much money as possible in the quickest time frame, don't we?

Hybrid Poplar ( Populus deltoides x "Populus nigra")- This is just about the fastest growing tree anywhere, growing from 5-8 feet annually. Height at maturity is 40-50 feet tall with a spread of 30 feet. The leaves are a silvery green with branching relatively close to the ground but the canopy can be easily raised with careful pruning. This is the perfect tree for quick shade or for harvesting as firewood in as little time as 5-7 years. Only problem with the poplar, by most tree standards, it is short-lived, only about 30-35 years. Hardy from zone 3-9.

Quaking Aspen ( Populus tremuloides )- A member of the Poplar family, the Quaking Aspen is extremely hardy from zone 1-7 and tolerates many kinds of soil. It has long, smooth, narrow trunks with bark a greenish white color. In the fall the leaves turn a vibrant yellow. The appealing thing about the Aspen is the slightest breeze sets the leaves, white on the underside and a bright green on top, shivering. The sound is ultra-soothing.

Silver Maple ( Acer saccharinum)- This quickest growing of Maples has an open canopy with upright branching. Leaves have a silvery underside with a bright green topside which give it a delightful shimmer in the breeze. Tolerant of many soil conditions and hardy from zone 3-9. Grows 50-80 feet high with a 50 foot spread for perfect shading.

Tuliptree ( Liriodendron tupilifera )- Named for the unusual, somewhat Tulip-shaped leaves, the Tuliptree has pretty, large greenish-yellow flowers in spring. Unfortunately the flowers grow high up so only the birds get to see them close up but occasionally one will float down to make you glad you planted this one. Hardy from zone 4-9, likes full sun and grows 70-90 feet tall with

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